Wrist support



April 1, 1930. H HAAF 1,753,006

WRIST SUPPORT Filed Jan. 15, 1928 23 WII I IN VEN TOR.

%ORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 1,1930

UNITED STATES HENRY I-IAAF, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK wnrsr surronr Application filed January 13, 1928. Serial No. 246,412.

My invention more particularly relates to a support that is adapted to be attached to a violin, and which extends in a direction to engage the wrist of the player when the v10- lin and the arm and the hand of the player are held in correct positions.

One of the difficulties encountered by a beginner on the violin is that there is a tendency for the player to support the outer end of the body of the violin, which is remote from the 39 player, against the wrist. The skilled violin player supports the violin between his chin and shoulder, the thumb of the hand which is used in fingering likely engaging the neck of the violin. One who is beginning to play the violin, however, finds it difiicult, if not impossible, properly to support the vlin between the chin and the shoulder, and permits the outer end of the body of the violin to rest against the wrist. lVhen the v10- lin thus rests against the'wrist, the player has not the freedom of movement of his fingers that he does have when his wrist is held away from the violin in the position occupied by a skiller player Furthermore, when the instrument engages the wrist of the player, he

is unable to reach the positions necessary to produce the required pitch on the violin strings, with the result that when the violin is held in this wrong position, the player usually produces flat notes.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, and in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the support embodying my invention attached to the violin and engaging the wrist of a player; Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1 (except for the hand of the player) partially broken away; Fig. 40 3 is a sectional end view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the outer end of the body of the violin resting against the wrist of the player, and with the hand, therefore, held in the incorrect position, and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4:, but showing the wrist held away from the body of the violin, and with the hand in the correct position. Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing, 10 indicates generally a violin comprising a, body 11, a neck 12, a shoulder 13, strings l4, pegs l5, and a bridge 16.

In accordance with my invention, a wristsupporting member is provided having a portion 17 adapted to engage the violin, and, in the embodiment illustrated, is formed with a curved surface as at 18 (Fig. 2), which corresponds to and engages the inner portion of the neck 12 and the shoulder 13. The portion 17 of. the wrist-supporting member is secured in position, in the embodiment illus trated, by a cord or other flexible member 19, one end of which is clamped or attached to a metallic clamping member 20, which is, C in turn, secured to the portion 17 by a screw 21. The flexible member 19 passes behind the rear end 12 of the neck and above the body 11 of the violin to the opposite side of the porti'on 17, and is suitably secured thereto as by being wound around a wheel 22 having a portion 22 of smaller diameter than the outer portion to leave a groove 22 within which the end of the flexible member is received and frictionally secured. p

A bracket 23 is suitably secured in an opening 171 of the portion 17 of the wrist support, the bracket 23 being secured in position in the portion 17 as by glue, or by the provision of interengaging threads. To the outer end of the bracket 23 is secured an enlarged portion 24, which presents an enlarged outer surface 25 against which the wrist 26 0f the player rests and thereby holding the wrist away from the violin. The bracket 23 ex tends in such a direction, and the member 24 is secured thereto at such an angle, that the outerface 25 of the member 24 engages the wrist of the player,as best shown in Fig. 1, when the violin, the arm and the hand'of 99 the player are correctly held. To this end the bracket member 28 extends downwardly and to the right from the neck of the violin as viewed by the player. Preferably, the wrist-supporting member is formed of wood or other non-metallic material. Preferably,

also, the curved part 18 of the portion 17,

27 which may be glued or otherwise secured 9 to said portion 17 to dampen any vibrations that might tend to be transmitted from the violin to the bracket, and to prevent marring the finish of the violin. Furthermore, I preferably cover the outer surface of the enlarged portion 24, which engages the wrist, with felt 28 or other soft material which may, likewise, be glued to the portion 24L to form a soft support for the wrist oi": the player.

When the device embodying my invention is attached to the violin, the portion Q-fl of the bracket engages the wrist of the player when the violin and the players hand and arm are held in the correct'positions. The proper position for the arm is close to the body'and, as stated, the wrist of the player should be held away from the violin, and when the violin and the hand and arm are in the correct positions, as shown in Fig. 1, the players fingers have greater freedom of movement than when the violin rests against the wrist of the player, as shown in Fig. l, and he is enabled to move the fingers in to wards the violin a sufiicient distance to produce the required pitch on the strings. The use of the device further enables the player partially to support the outer end of the violin by the wrist, and thus avoids the stiffness and self-consciousness that is produced when he attempts to support the violin entirely between the chin and shoulder.

A further advantage in the use of my device is that it compels the player, in order to bring his wrist against the portion 24 of the support, to hold his arm in close to the body. After the player has become suiiiciently skilled to hold the violin between his chin and shoulder, and after he has learned to hold his Wrist away from the violin, the Wrist support, which is particularly intended for beginners, may be dispensed with if desired.

Vhile I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made which would come within the scope of my invention. For example, while I have described a separate bracket 23 attached to the portion 17, and a separate member-2a attached to the bracket, it will, of course, be understood that the entire wrist support could be made of a single piece of material if desired.

I claim:

1. A wrist support for a violin having a portion formed for attachment to the neck of a violin, means for attaching said support to the neck of the violin, and a bracket projecting from said support and extending in a direction from the instrument to engage the wrist of the player when the violin and the arm and hand of the player are held in correct positions.

2. A wrist support for a violin having a curved portion formed to engage the neck and shoulder of a violin, means for attaching said support to said neck and shoulder, and a bracket projecting from said support and extending in a direction from the instrument to engage the wrist of the player when the violin and the arm and hand of the player are held incorrect positions.

3. A wrist support for a violin having a support formed to engage the neck and shoulder of a violin, means for attaching said support to said neck and shoulder, said means comprising a flexible member adapted to extend behind the neck and above the body of the violin, means for securing the end of said flexible member to said support, and a bracket projecting from said portion and extending in a direction from the instrument to engage the wrist of the player when the violin and the arm and hand of the player are held in correct positions.

4. A wrist support for a violin having a portion formed to be attached to the neck and shoulder of a violin, means comprising a flexible member adapted to extend above the body of the violin and at the rear of the neck therof for securing said support to said neck and shoulder, a bracket projecting from said support and extending in a direction from the instrument to engage the wrist of the player when the violin and the arm and hand of the player are held in correct positions, the end of the bracket being provided with an enlarged portion having an extended surface covered with yielding material adapted to engage the wrist of the player.

HENRY HAAF.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 1,753,006. Granted April 1, 1930, to

HENRY HAAF.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 74, claim 3, for the word "support" read "portion", and line 81, for the word "portion" read "support"- and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 22nd day of April, A. D. 1930.

M J. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 1,753,006. Granted April 1, 1930, to

HENRY HAAF.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 74, elaim 3, for the word "support" read "portion", and line 81, for the word "portion" read "support"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the ease in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 22nd day of April, A. D. 1930.

M, J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

